


Mothers

by sigmalied



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 05:22:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8358910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sigmalied/pseuds/sigmalied
Summary: Iaera Kasantis, Liselle's surrogate mother while Aria is busy and away, reflects on her great attachment to the baby she routinely cares for. She envies that Aria is her mother and not herself.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Winner of the September 2016 poll: "Aria & Baby Liselle". Part of the Confidentiality/GBTQ universe.

Since the birth of Liselle—so precious and pure a creature—Iaera Kasantis had assumed responsibility of raising her where Aria could not. 

It was not a typical sitter’s job. It was not an occupation where one arrived at work in the morning and returned home that evening to retire temporarily unburdened. Rearing Liselle required nothing less than her life’s full devotion.

Iaera was, at the soul of the matter, Liselle’s surrogate mother. And like a true mother, she loved her as she would her own daughter and would likewise spend long years watching her flourish safely in anonymity, having lent Liselle her name to dispel the terrible trouble _T’Loak_ would have brought her. In their apartment, kept under constant but discreet guard and away from the endless atrocities of Omega, Iaera routinely fed her, dressed her, and entertained her until she had nearly convinced herself that Liselle was _her_ baby and not her employer’s. It was _her_ baby who she held dozing against her chest to keep her warm, _her_ baby who looked like an innocent doll in the tiny outfits they bought her, _her_ baby who wailed with hunger during the smallest hours of the morning. And not Aria’s.

But the illusion always dissolved when Aria came around to steal Liselle right from her arms, leaving Iaera to wait and quietly wallow in the reality that her children were long gone and she would have no more. She could merely spectate the unique joy Liselle brought Aria as she coddled and kissed her daughter, impossibly tamed by her sweetness and rendered the gentlest life form on Omega. What callow person witnessing her now would have ever believed that Aria T’Loak killed and tortured with cold calculated motive? Not Liselle, never Liselle. Her immense privilege of birth was only knowing Aria’s fierce love and protection.

Today, Aria had descended the steps of the lounge containing her crimson throne early to respond to an update sent by Iaera, who had awoken that morning to find Liselle peering at her through the railing of her crib, cooing nonsensical sounds… while sitting up unsupported. The baby hadn’t done so before by Iaera’s recollection, warranting that she contact Aria with the news as directed. So here she was; the Queen—in her splendidly daunting presence and demeanor—passively letting Liselle grab at her white collar and drool on it as she carried her over to a sofa. There Aria reclined and sat Liselle on her stomach, holding her little hands to keep her steady until she was certain that the baby would replicate her feat of coordination, and Liselle unknowingly made her mother proud by remaining upright even when her hands were slowly released. She earned as much praise from Aria in a minute as she would afford all her hirelings over the course of a year. 

The evening proceeded as expected. Aria dressed down and inundated Iaera with the task of reading aloud to her financial requests, trade propositions, and offers of alliance submitted by pirate groups in the system, as Aria breastfed her daughter and drafted terse replies with a free hand. Iaera remained her secretary for the next few hours, accompanying and assisting Aria in the work befitting a proper executive, and even enduring her requisite domineering attitude. She followed her through the routine that would soon have Liselle in bed: her meal of milk, her tumultuous bath in a small tub set upon the bathroom’s sink (Liselle liked being submerged in water as much as oil did, Iaera knew), and dressing her in fresh clothes cut from a very soft, very soothing material that would certainly comfort Liselle as she slept. All throughout, Aria never faltered in swiftly oscillating her attention between her baby and her administrative responsibilities, responding to Iaera’s relayed information with rational cunning before turning to Liselle with calm, maternal warmth. 

Her effortless duality never failed to intimidate Iaera. The ability to adapt, to change in accordance to her situation instantaneously. It made her wonder if the real Aria was someone else entirely than who she knew, or if _every_ side of her was an equally veracious facet of her persona, or if the Aria she saw now—the mother of her baby, and the powerful crime lord deliberating the fates of rivals and customers alike—was most proximal to her core nature. 

Iaera looked upon Aria when she was preoccupied with her daughter, and further wondered if she would be as demanding and possessive of the adult Liselle as she was of her regular mercenaries, and if Liselle would happily love her more than Iaera nonetheless. It was the probable outcome, despite Iaera spending far more time with her during her adolescence, because Aria’s charisma carried her beyond herself. Made her the ultimate figure of leadership, so much a paragon in this respect that she garnered widespread adoration and even worship. How would Liselle perceive her any differently? She would not. No one did. Not even Iaera herself.

She knew what she felt was envy. To see Aria cradling Liselle in her arms as she rocked her to sleep, completely entitled to retaining custody of her for as long as she decided to stay, was almost painful. Part of her idly wondered what would occur if Aria suddenly perished one day. Was there something in Aria’s will that would permit Iaera to adopt Liselle? She would commit no act of betrayal to contribute to this scenario, but Iaera could not dismiss her curiosity. Although she was to be made impressively rich on the day Liselle became a self-sufficient adult as compensation for decades of valuable service, Iaera housed a tiny notion that challenged her concept of worth. Perhaps, if given a legitimate choice, she just might have chosen Liselle over the mountain of credits promised to her. 

But such was not reality, and Aria would be making her way back to Afterlife soon, allowing Iaera to once again take her place at Liselle’s bedside. For now, that was satisfactory. 


End file.
